Once again, hardcore triumphs against the odds!
Damn you, Transport For London. It’s probably just as well I didn’t know about your late-night Overground engineering works before I left for this gig, otherwise I may have balked at the prospect of what turned out to be a nearly 2-hour journey home from New Cross to north London. It also maybe explains the so-so turnout at the New Cross Inn tonight; goodness knows it’s not for lack of quality bands.
This is Try Hard’s first gig, but if they’re feeling nervous, then it certainly doesn’t show. The quartet have known each other since forever, and seem to have an almost telepathic musical connection as they smash their way through melodic hardcore gems such as ‘It Gets Dark’ and ‘Monday Dread’ with obvious glee. Well, it took you long enough, guys, but now that you’re on such fine form, please get to work on a follow-up to your (excellent) ‘Still Tryin’ Hard’ EP.
Equals What? are up next, and their fabulously-moustachioed frontman is fuelled by righteous anger, lining up bigotry, materialism and Donald Trump (amongst others) for a verbal firing squad. His band plays fast, filthy and thrashy, and a couple of beers prove the first casualties of the evening as the pit seriously starts to stir. You get the feeling that – perhaps more than most – they NEED to do this, and that sense of urgency shines through in every note. Ace.
We won’t forget Uncertainty’s vocalist’s colourful underpants and balaclava ensemble in a hurry. Thankfully, the Bristol crew have the songs to match the, um, spectacle, blasting through the likes of ‘No Redemption Arc’ and ’Conviction’ with, well, exactly that. Their set seems to fly by all too quickly, but as the place erupts for the closing ‘Fetch The Bolt Cutters’, it’s clear that they can chalk tonight up as a victory.
Colorado-based headliners Time X Heist also keep things short, sharp and furious, and boy do they make every second count. At times reminiscent of Californian melodic hardcore stalwarts Good Riddance (yeah, I know, I’m showing my age here), the straight edge crew whip the pit into a frenzy from the opening note of ‘Beyond Boundaries’ until a turbocharged cover of the Project X classic ‘Straight Edge Revenge’ (with the crowd taking over vocals) brings things to a gloriously messy finale.
A fine end to an evening of hardcore played with passion and received with the kind of gratitude (and crowd chaos) that would have far larger bands jealous. Cheers to Real Life Presents for having us along! Scores for the night? Pan-Atlantic hardcore 1, creaky and overpriced London Overground 0.
All Photos: ALEX GOOSE
Follow Time X Heist on Their Socials:
Need more Punk In Your Life?
Album review: Southpaw FLHC – ‘The Standard’
So much of the best hardcore is born of struggle, and Southpaw FLHC are a case in point. The penultimate spoken-word title track on ‘The
Live review: Emily Flea, Spit Sisters, Not The Face!, & Yur Mum at The Pipeline, Brighton, 18/07/26
A fun and successful benefit gig at Brighton’s newly community-owned venue The Pipeline, to benefit charities Refuge and Mermaids, starring Emily Flea, Spit Sisters, Not
EP review: Dead Dates ‘Rebellion in Blackpool’ – Three Songs, Three Stories, One Honest Punk Rock Statement
Dead Dates formed in 2022 in Düsseldorf, led by Marcus “Opa” Haefs, who has been in numerous bands. New EP consists of just three tracks
Album review: Hank Deadwood: Ian Lowery – Unreleased and Re-imagined Vol 1 and 2
Now this is an interesting release – a collection of songs based on snatches of ideas the late Folk Devils singer Ian Lowery had recorded
Album Review: Active Slaughter have their say on new 10-inch release on Grow Your Own Records
Active Slaughter have never been a band to mince their words, and this mini album ‘You Bastards!’ is no exception. If you think punk rock
Album review: Lueur remind us about ‘Half of Humanity’
Sélestat punk quintet Lueur released their album ‘Half of Humanity’ on 18th June 2026 with 15 tracks of fun (essential to the spirit of the
I spend my days teaching English to foreign students, and my evenings attending as many gigs as possible. Raised mainly on a diet of 90s third-wave punk, my tastes have grown to include just about anything from trad ska to thrash metal. The Ramones are my musical gods.
Did you know that we are 100% DIY? We run our own game. No one dictates to us, and no one drives what we can or cannot put on our pages – and this is how we plan to continue!
